Bury the Hatchet
by NotMeagain
Summary: - preferably in a monster, not each other, guys. The members of Marr's Pass caravan have some things to talk out before they can become the caravan everyone knows. Secret Santa gift for The Trinity Tree.


Alright, ok, so this is like…I have no clue. I just read Trinity's wish-list and went "did someone say friendship!" and ran with it. I hope this counts as a tangent too, and that it is an unexplored one. I didn't dare make it humor since I don't have any faith in my comedic skill. Also, Trinity, I really hope you really, really like Marr's Pass Caravan :X because there is a lot of them in here.

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**Bury the Hatchet**

Marr's Pass was a narrow town. The streets climbed up the cliff's wall, leaving little space for things other than houses and carts to fit, so the local children were used to gathering at the Crystal plaza. Practically all of them knew each other, or had at some point, and for all Lyne Dott could remember, they were a lot like a gang.

He must have been seven years old when he wound up stuck at the Town Hall working most of the day and could only watch what the other kids did when left on their own. But he didn't need to see, or have the adults around him complain to know that the children who hung out around the plaza were mischievous, united, and surprisingly organized.

Rolf Wood was always the leader, even when there had been an actual leader and Rolf was just a young kid with little more to him than a hot-headed temper. The moment he stepped into the group he came up with the better ideas and the best ways to get them to work. It was around…a year after he joined, maybe- when Rolf was eight, that he came up with the boldest plan to date: Lyne found out later, but apparently the gang had met in some secluded corner and Rolf proposed they get their hands on a portable crystal and go down to the creek at the foot of the town.

It was a stupid idea. The school teachers had two pretty big portable crystals that they took out when they organized outings outside the Crystal's boundaries. The outings were a pretty big thing for every kid, but also very strict when it came to security; getting their hands on the crystals would mean they could go wherever they wanted and without the nagging women who always accompanied them. But apparently only Lyne thought it was stupid- not that they knew about his opinion, and of course he wouldn't be able to go anyway, but it sounded dangerous. There was miasma down there, and knowing the gang, someone _was_ going to get hurt- and then what would they do, when they couldn't help that person and couldn't call anyone down to the creek?

But either way, a plan went underway, and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the errand girl. Leuts Royce was the daughter of the most successful Lilty Merchant in town; she dealt with things no other kid could: magicite, rare ores, artifacts, Phoenix Downs. She had worked for her father since she was able to, coming and going through the town making and taking deliveries, so she knew the town and the people pretty well. Besides Lyne, she was the kid who dealt most frequently with caravanners when they came to make trades at the hall; she was a headstrong girl, smart enough to handle bartering pretty well even when her father wasn't around. She could find where the portable crystals were, and probably get them out.

Thing was, the crystals were stored in the town hall. Eventually she would have to approach Lyne. He dreaded it a little, unsure of which he would choose: being on the gang's good graces and, hey, maybe getting invited to join- or stopping them from committing theft and probably getting hurt.

He worked in the hall because of family. He had once belonged to the gang, but that was a couple of years ago and he was kind of old for that now- no matter that he was only a year older than Rolf, or that all those messes the kids got themselves into still sounded kind of fun. His grandpa was the town treasurer and his ma was part of the caravan, so he practically lived in the hall. When he wasn't doing chores, his grandpa taught him numbers. He was very strict about studying; it probably didn't help Lyne that people mostly saw him with his nose buried in a book.

His ma, Ella, had joined the caravan only two years ago, and for all Lyne knew she didn't actually know what he was up to during most of the year. After all, what he wrote in his letters was the interesting stuff, not the boring chores. Maybe he made it sound as if he had more free time than he really did.

When she came around that year, a little after he'd heard about the other children's plan, he did little to let her know the truth. They walked around the town for a bit, Ella listening to the things that'd happened recently or that Lyne hadn't put in the letters; he had no other choice but to talk about the gang's doings as if he'd been there.

Coming close to the Moogles' house, Lyne climbed up a mound and passed between some trees to show Ella the spot the kids had chosen for their expedition. Of course, he didn't tell her the real plan. "Over there," he said, pointing to a natural pool surrounded by rocks that had formed on the side of the river's current. "That's the spot we'd like to go to; we think that between those two rocks there might even be a cave or something."

"Nice, but I don't think the teachers would let you go in there," Ella had walked up to her son and sat at the shade of a small, thin tree and invited him to do the same.

"Tch. Would be better if we didn't have to go with the teachers. Man, if we could find a way to go alone we'd probably-"

"Lyne," Ella interrupted him with a stern tone. "Don't be getting any ideas; there's miasma down there."

…Yeah, he knew that; he'd just gotten carried away by the lie.

"Monsters too. Just 'cause you don't see them doesn't mean they ain't there. And Lyne, I wouldn't trust you guys alone out there for a second."

"Oh, come on!" He'd been hoping his own mother would have a little more pride in him, at least.

His mother snorted at his protest. "No! You gotta be careful. With all that crap you tell me about the other children, I wouldn't put it past you to do something as crazy as try to get down there on your own. You have your outings and everything, but if you were alone it'd be different."

"…Too different?"

"Yeah. Eventually you'll get your chance, but trust me that miasma makes the outside dangerous. You can't see it coming, and that makes it worse. I know you'd like to have fun out there, but it's better to be careful. Give it time Lyne, don't rush out."

Lyne bit his lip and sat in silence. He didn't have to 'listen to his mother' very often since she wasn't there most of the time, but when he did have to he didn't feel bitter about it because, well, she knew best- she fought monsters and lead a caravan, after all.

That time was a little different- he didn't know the other children very well anymore, but that didn't mean he wanted to be on the receiving end of their spite. When Leuts came around, what should he do? Lie? He really didn't feel like letting them have the portable crystals, but it wouldn't be hard for anyone to figure that if he worked at the town hall then he ought to know about them. He couldn't feign ignorance and expect to get away with it for too long. They'd know he'd betrayed them, and that would probably be the end of what little tolerance they had for the town's bookworm. Plus, he kinda really didn't want to lie to Leuts, of all people.

.

The worst part wasn't just that he did lie to her when she asked him where the keys to the storage were, but that it was only a day after he'd stopped their first attempt that an adult put a definite stop to the plan altogether. For a few days the Crystal plaza was devoid of children, most of them being grounded.

No one said anything about it to him- in fact, none of them said anything to him for a while. The next time Leuts showed up at the town hall to help with trade she'd made a point to glare at him and give him the cold shoulder.

He felt bad for a while… but no matter- his studies and duties were increasing, he had little time for stupid games. Lilties held grudges to the grave, and no one knew it better than Lilties themselves; eventually the event was forgotten, but by then Lyne had signed up try out for the caravan and began training himself to get in.

When it came to choose a new caravan, he'd earned himself the image of a loner- the guy who spent his time either studying or training and who didn't have much patience for others. When the town Elder announced the new caravan members, Lyne clenched his fist and muttered a 'yes!' to himself; Rolf Wood and Leuts Royce exchanged a look that clearly said, What are we going to do about this?

xXx

The fight was slipping out of their hands; the Coeurls circled just outside the crystal chalice's protective ring, casting spells that the three lilties had trouble dodging, and the Gargoyles perched on the roof of the courtyard, swooping down to attack and quickly fly out of their reach when they least expected it.

After ducking out of the way of another Gargoyle's talons, Rolf had had enough.

"Ok, we need to change this plan! Leuts, put the chalice down; everyone form a perimeter around it and fight- we need all hands right now!"

Leuts did as she was told, planting the chalice on the ground and slinging her mace-like spear off her back to fend a Coeurl. Rolf swung his spear over his head, bringing it slashing down, sending a blast of energy towards another monster- it was busy casting a spell; the blast got it square in the chest. He checked to see Leuts was doing fine, but on the other side Lyne was having trouble: a Coeurl and a Gargoyle had teamed up and were overpowering him. Rolf rushed to help.

"Rolf!" Lyne called when he saw the leader quickly approaching. "I can ground these bastards—the Gargoyle's are too much trouble, but I need time. You need to cover me before-"

Rolf ducked out of the way of a Gargoyle's talons at the last second, having only heard it coming down. He rolled on the ground, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

"Rolf!"

He did not like that panicked yell. He rolled onto his back and saw how the Coeurl he thought he'd killed was rearing back on its hind legs- and then it was leaping as Rolf tried to back away but he knew he wasn't going to make it. At the same time an enraged scream came from his left and suddenly the monster was knocked off its trajectory with a sickening crunch of bones. Leuts' spear fell at his feet, and soon she'd gone to pick it up and finish off the Coeurl. Rolf shook his head, trying to recover; he picked up his spear and turned to see where Lyne was still having trouble.

"Ok," he made up his mind, "Leuts, get the chalice, we are getting out of here for the moment!" Leuts nodded and ran off while Rolf called Lyne to retreat. As soon as Leuts got back to them they ran back to the entrance of the manor and ran into a room they'd already cleared. The monsters chased them to the door, which they slammed in a Gargoyle's face.

A collective sigh of relief ran through the room; every Lilty slumped either against the wall or on the floor. Rolf quickly healed the wound in his head.

"I am going to maim those jerks from Fum. They said this place wasn't trouble!" Leuts cursed after catching her breath.

"I think it's because we were supposed to sneak in, not come in blades swinging," Lyne spoke, though he was not looking at anyone and he was clutching his side.

"Are you wounded?" Rolf began, but Leuts cut him off.

"And you're not supposed to be babbling your mouth in the middle of a fight, but you do it anyways."

"What?" Lyne breathed. Rolf forwent asking again and just went to check on Lyne's obviously wounded side.

"You always do it; in River Belle, in the Mushroom Forest, that time goblins ran into the camp. Always calling us to cover you when we're busy," she glared at him.

"Because I need time to cast magic,"

"Then say that before we get into a battle!"

"I _do_! But you always rush in before anyone can do anything!"

The cure spell had gone off already; Lyne wasn't in pain anymore, but the argument was escalating. Rolf stood and listened, frowning. He couldn't believe that they'd gone on like this for almost a year already, and that this was only the first of many.

Being a caravanner with Leuts was supposed to be fun- they thought they'd just have adventures and get to fight monsters on a daily basis. Having Lyne with them had been a surprise, but he figured they'd get used to each other eventually. That wasn't the case. In fact, he'd been wrong on both accounts: Lyne stayed mostly quiet- in a not useful way, and though Leuts was still his friend even he couldn't deny that she was part of the problem. Rolf was glad they at least managed to get to a myrrh tree every once in a while despite their clumsy way of fighting, because for some reason his two subordinates were always arguing. They had something against each other that both had failed to inform him about.

Rolf could only sigh and hope they solved whatever problem they had with each other some way at some point. …Though looking at how their argument was going right now, that point wasn't going to be today, and the way this one was going to be solved was going to be a fist fight.

"Alright, guys," he spoke loud enough to stop Lyne's rant about Leuts' reckless steering of the caravan. By now both Lilties were red in the face and glaring daggers at each other. Rolf took a moment to search for the right way to start. "There is… a clear problem of communication here, and this is getting ridiculous." The two Lilties opened their mouths to protest, but Rolf's glare shut them up. "I'm serious. Leuts, Lyne has a point- he's the only one here who can do effective magic attacks, and we need that. And Lyne, you _can't_ distract yourself and others while fighting- you _have_ been doing it."

He saw Leuts roll her eyes, but he paid her no mind; instead he wiped the blood that'd trickled onto his forehead and sat on a step, sighing. He looked at the others- at the gnash of claws in Lyne's clothes and Leuts' spear, which now had an obvious dent from where it collided against the Coeurl. "We're not much of a team right now."

There was a moment of silence, until Leuts ventured, "But we do get the myrrh,"

"Yes but with a _lot_ of difficulty. We've had close calls in all the places we've been to; we can say it's because we're new at this but it's a stupid excuse and- and dammit, this is my caravan! I am not going to let Marr's Pass caravan fall because of petty crap! So go ahead," from his sitting position he pointed at Leuts with his spear. "Tell him what's your problem, and then you tell her. Get it off your chests once and for all."

Leuts was staring weird at him, but he didn't care this time either. He knew that neither her nor himself had expected Lyne to be part of the caravan, but the Elder knew what he was doing- Lyne was smart, and the best of them at magic. Rolf had quickly gotten used to his help, but Leuts…

"You're not really part of the team," Leuts' words cut through Rolf's line of thought.

Without missing a beat Lyne shot back, "Well, I'm real sorry I intruded in yours and Rolf's little club."

Rolf looked between the two of them. "Where did you get those ideas? The two of you?"

"He's never been."

"You've always been some sort of club."

By now Leuts had crossed her arms and Lyne was looking away. At some point they both noticed Rolf's confused stare, and Leuts spoke next, "He was-" she paused, and then addressed Lyne properly. "You were always inside the hall, always. Never spoke to anyone, never even pretended to be interested in joining, and then you pull stuff like telling on us when you knew we were gonna be in deep trouble if anyone knew-"

"That-!" Lyne interrupted her loudly, raising an accusing finger. "That was not me; I never told anyone what you wanted to do. I don't know how the teachers found out."

Leuts didn't seem to believe him. "It was like, _hours_ after I spoke to you that my mother came up to me with the scolding of a century. You don't know my mother, whe she gets mad, she gets _mad_. And we were under such constant watch afterward that it was never the same again. You just buried your face in a book and didn't even dare look at me in the eye afterward." The implied 'you coward' in her words was clear.

"I knew what you thought- you didn't even give me the chance to explain. But it _wasn't_ me."

"But you did lie to me- there's no way you didn't know where the keys were."

"That I did- it was a stupid idea. You were gonna get hurt!"

Rolf had no idea what they were talking about. He watched them volley accusations at each other, feeling like he should be remembering what it was all about but failing to do so. It wasn't until one of them said 'portable crystal' and 'escapade to the creek' that it clicked. Rolf startled, standing up and looking at them in disbelief. "That was ages ago!"

His outburst surprised them into silence, and it also seemed to remind them that _it was true_. Though Rolf didn't doubt that that event had painted Leuts' opinion of Lyne badly and that she still had that image of him- because honestly, he didn't do much to chance that loner attitude- he couldn't believe they were discussing this _now_, at age sixteen, or that it was the root of the past year's problems. It suddenly made sense, though, why Lyne acted so aloof towards them, why Leuts didn't fully trust him…

But what was worse was that Lyne had taken the blame for the fallout of Rolf's stupid idea. He sighed, thinking that at least now he could fix things somewhat. Taking a step forward and looking at Leuts, Rolf said, "We were busted because of me. My ma heard me talking about it with my brother, probably around the time you were getting to Lyne in the town hall. I'm sorry, she found out what you were gonna do, so she probably told your mother then."

Leuts was at a loss of what to say, but not Lyne. "You let me take the blame?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"I didn't _know_ anyone had taken the blame. I didn't think it was that big a deal."

"Then why was everyone giving me the cold shoulder for months afterwards?"

Rolf looked at him for a moment and then shrugged. "I just knew you lied to Leuts, but that didn't matter because by that time we would have gotten busted anyways. I never told anyone to stop talking to you or anything like that."

After a beat they both turned to Leuts. Now she was mad; she'd picked one of the strands of her hair and was combing it with her hands, refusing to look at anyone, but she probably knew the question that was coming.

"Did you?" Rolf asked.

"_I_ didn't want to talk to him. Maybe others assumed the same thing I did, I don't know. We weren't that tight a group afterwards anyway."

Rolf sighed again and no one said anything for a while. He looked at Lyne, who seemed a little confused and a little like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Rolf couldn't balme him- now that he heard the full story he understood that for a long time Lyne probably felt like he'd locked himself out of the chance of being in the group, and now he'd finally been proven wrong. On the other hand, Leuts seemed guilty, with her lips pursed and that nervous tic of hers still going.

Rolf stepped closer to her, gesturing tentatively. "Y'know, it doesn't matter anymore. It was a silly game; we don't have to let it extend for so long."

She threw him a glance, and then, "It mattered to me." But she left it at that. Shutting her eyes tightly for an instant, she sighed, lowered her hands and turned to Lyne. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lyne held up a hand.

"Don't apologize. You don't need to."

xXx

Afterwards, Leuts considered that maybe Lyne understood what she meant, though she wasn't sure how much. The fact dawned on her slowly as they rested up in that dimly lit room with the sound of the monsters prowling outside. By the time they went out again she had the suspicion, but she didn't dwell on it because there was myrrh to get, and she meant to stick to their newly-formed plan of action.

The plan worked like a charm: she carried the chalice until the monsters started coming out again, at which point she left it on the floor and went into the fray. She and Rolf got rid of the remaining Coeurl quickly, and then they went to flank Lyne and protect him as he charged up a Gravity spell. Lilties are slow casters, but it paid off- once in control of the magic, Lyne did- he was snapping his fingers to activate the spell, and the Gargoyle's fell like flies. She couldn't help it- at least twice she broke formation, but only to approach a grounded Gargoyle and smash its head into pieces.

They went like that through the rest of the manor until they reached the last room with monsters. Once they'd killed the last Tonberry, Rolf halted them, saying, "We don't have to go for the Gigas. He can come to us."

It made for a pretty cool entrance- Jack Moschet burst through the dinning hall door only to find three Lilties leisurely sitting on his table, waiting for him as if _they_ the owners of the manor, not him. They felt a little bad when he ran away throwing a tantrum and his wife calling back for him, but it was minimal guilt compared to the cheer of victory that ran through the room once they realized they'd won. It had been the easiest, coolest fight they'd had in the whole year; for once they relaxed under the shade of the myrrh tree, not too wounded or tired.

The mail Moogle caught up to them at that moment, and her letter contained what she expected: they told her to get alloy and copper- their stock was running low. Afterwards she had to stop at Alfitaria to talk to her father's business partner; there was a favor he needed. What about her siblings? The state of the house or the town? It pissed her off that she hadn't gotten any normal news during the whole year, and she probably wasn't going to get them any time soon.

It had always been like that; she'd always been the errand girl. She counted herself lucky that she'd had the chance to go outside when she was younger, but only because running around town was part of what she had to do for her father. Her older brother hadn't been so lucky, and neither had her little sister. It was exhausting, and she didn't think anyone else realized it.

At that moment she refused to think she'd been stubborn- Rolf would remind her about it latter anyway. But as she threw a glance at Lyne, she guessed she had to try and cooperate more with him from now on. Her gaze lowered as she thought that, after all, being stuck inside a building alone all the time was what she had tried to avoid by hanging onto the gang.

They finished their break and made their way back to their caravan after scouring the place for materials.

Later in the day when they'd reached the main road, they set up camp. It was a quiet night for once, though Leuts still had something to ask. She did before going to sleep, getting out of her bunk inside the caravan and exiting to the campfire, where Lyne was keeping watch. She'd be dammed if she let Rolf hear her now.

Lyne startled when he heard her, probably mistaking her for a monster, but he loosened the grip on the spear once he realized who it was.

"Can I ask you something?" Leuts spoke, cutting to the point. Lyne seemed a little cautious, but he nodded. "Why did you join the caravan?"

With that she sat in front of the fire, looking at him as she waited for the answer.

"Why you ask?"

Leuts shrugged; she still had her suspicion.

Lyne put his weight against the spear's pole, thinking. It took him a while to answer. "You know, I don't think even my mother wanted me to be a caravaner? But I just thought that being one had more merit than being…town treasurer or something."

She gave him a wry smile. "Right? Slaying monsters, getting loot— the places!" Don't'cah think it's funny? A mansion owned by a monster?"

"They've got good taste, though."

She didn't laugh particularly hard, but something was something. She fell quiet then, and then said, "I guess I thought that too. My pa, he doesn't think this," she gestured to herself and her surroundings. "Is anything more than some chance to expand his marketing reach. Or something. I'm his errand girl, but I didn't want to always be that."

Lyne tilted his head. "But you kind of are; now you get the myrrh…"

"Yeah, there's a difference between what I want and what I _am_, but at least I get to put my own rules this time." She ran a hand through her head. "To Rolf, all that deal from way back, it didn't really matter to him; it was just a game. I just took it more seriously."

"'Cause you had some control over it."

Leuts bit her lower lip, nodding reluctantly. Then she buried her face in her palm, smirking. "I can't believe I made such a tight knot out of that."

Lyne paused for a moment. "So did I, even after so long."

They shared a look, the 'we are not that different, are we?' implied in it was clear. It was embarrassing, but at least they weren't alone in the embarrassment.

And they figured they didn't have to be alone in anything anymore. The three of them would make a good gang.

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Oh, I hope you like it, Trinity. I tried to put in as much of the wishlist as I could, though the rating gave me a little trouble (I tried to fix that by adding violence, but maybe that wasn't what you wanted? D: I'm sorry).

Anyway, happy holidays. I really did like writing this, specially knowing it was a present.


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